| Characteristic | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 49.3 | 53.9 | 50.6 | 52.7 | 55.2 | 57.7 | 53.8 | 56.8 | 58.9 | 59.6 | 60.1 | 62.5 | 61.9 | 61.9 | 61.9 | 65.0 | 67.0 | 65.6 | 62.9 | 63.3 | 61.8 | 65.2 | 63.9 | 66.7 | 68.6 | 66.0 |
| Gender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 46.7 | 54.8 | 49.1 | 51.9 | 56.0 | 58.6 | 55.8 | 58.3 | 57.1 | 57.6 | 58.0 | 57.9 | 60.0 | 60.6 | 62.6 | 60.1 | 63.6 | 62.4 | 61.4 | 59.9 | 60.1 | 62.1 | 61.2 | 61.4 | 66.5 | 65.8 |
| Female | 51.8 | 53.1 | 52.0 | 53.4 | 54.5 | 56.8 | 51.9 | 55.3 | 60.7 | 61.6 | 62.2 | 67.1 | 63.8 | 63.2 | 61.3 | 69.7 | 70.3 | 69.1 | 64.4 | 66.2 | 63.5 | 68.4 | 66.5 | 71.5 | 70.4 | 66.1 |
| Race and Hispanic origina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 49.8 | 54.9 | 52.7 | 55.0 | 59.0 | 60.1 | 56.8 | 58.6 | 61.1 | 60.7 | 63.0 | 65.4 | 64.3 | 64.5 | 64.3 | 67.4 | 68.2 | 68.5 | 66.3 | 66.2 | 63.5 | 68.4 | 66.5 | 71.5 | 73.2 | 68.5 |
| Black, non-Hispanicb | 42.7 | 42.7 | 35.8 | 38.2 | 39.8 | 42.2 | 36.9 | 52.2 | 44.4 | 53.4 | 46.8 | 46.4 | 48.2 | 50.8 | 51.2 | 56.0 | 58.5 | 61.9 | 58.9 | 54.9 | 55.0 | 59.4 | 57.5 | 62.5 | 55.7 | 55.5 |
| Hispanicb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 52.3 | 52.1 | 43.2 | 54.2 | 44.3 | 51.0 | 44.0 | 33.5 | 57.1 | 55.1 | 42.7 | 57.2 | 55.0 | 49.1 | 53.7 | 50.8 | 65.6 | 47.4 | 42.3 | 52.9 | 51.7 | 53.6 | 58.6 | 61.8 | 54.0 | 57.9 |
| 3-year moving average | 49.8 | 49.2 | 49.8 | 47.3 | 49.9 | 46.5 | 42.9 | 44.9 | 48.6 | 51.6 | 51.7 | 51.6 | 58.1 | 55.0 | 51.2 | 56.7 | 54.6 | 51.8 | 47.5 | 49.0 | 52.7 | 54.6 | 58.0 | 58.1 | 57.9 | — |
| — Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a For data before 2003, the 1977 OMB Standards for Data on Race and Ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following four racial groups: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. The revised 1997 OMB standards were used for data from 2003 to 2006. Persons could select one or more of five racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Included in the total, but not shown separately, are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Two or more races. From 2003 onward, people who responded to the question on race indicated only one race unless otherwise specified. Data from 2003 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b Due to the small sample size, data are subject to relatively large sampling errors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Enrollment in college as of October of each year for individuals ages 16 to 24 who completed high school during the preceding 12 months. High school completion includes GED recipients. Moving averages are used to produce more stable estimates. A 3-year moving average is the average of the estimates for the year prior to the reported year, the reported year, and the following year. Thus a moving average cannot be calculated for the most recent year. Data are based upon sample surveys of the civilian population. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement (1980–2005). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
